Freezing rows and columns: Basic how-to

Even if you do have column headers, once you scroll down more than a screen you can’t see them anymore. Unless, that is, you freeze them.

Freezing allows you to specify any number of currently showing rows and/or columns to always display. You could, in theory, tell it to freeze all but the bottom row, and all but the rightmost column, but if you did you could only move around one cell. Generally when working with a large detailed list I freeze between one and three rows at the top, and sometimes the leftmost column. For example, a list of student scores might freeze row 1, which contains the names of the assignments, and column A, which contains the student names.
General instructions:
Once you’ve frozen rows or columns, you un-freeze using the same commands as you use to freeze. You do not have to be in any particular cell to do so. Also, once you’ve frozen a row or column the only way to change what’s frozen is to un-freeze and then freeze again in the new location.

Frozen rows/columns are usually indicated by a particularly strong line separating them from the unfrozen ones.

In Excel 97:

Select the cell in the row below and the column to the right of the ones you want to always display.

Click on the Window header, or type Alt-W.

In the menu that appears, click on “Freeze Panes” or type F.

In Excel 2007:

Select the cell in the row below and the column to the right of the ones you want to always display.

Click on the “View” tab.

In the “View” tab, look for the “Window” group. For me it’s the largest group, and it’s located 2nd from the right.

At the bottom left of the “Window” group, look for “Freeze Panes”, and click on it.

In the menu that appears, click on “Freeze Panes” or type F.

Note: The shortcut for Excel 97 (Alt-W-F) still works in Excel 2007.

In Google Spreadsheet:

Click on the View header.

In the menu that appears click on either “Freeze Rows” or “Freeze columns”.

In the sub-menu that appears, click on the number of rows or columns you want frozen.

In OpenOffice Calc:

Select the cell in the row below and the column to the right of the ones you want to always display.

Click on the Window header, or type Alt-W.

In the menu that appears click on Freeze or type F.

In Microsoft Works Spreadsheet:

Select the cell in the row below and the column to the right of the ones you want to always display.